Carbide indicator for gas generators



1,644,062 Oct. 4, 1927. O. KAAS CARBIDE INDICATOR FOR GAS GENERATORS Filed Feb. 1, 1926 W Y INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 4,1927.

UNITEDISTATES' on". KAAS, or FERNDALE, ASHINGTO I CARBIDE INDICATOR FOR GAS'GENERATOBS.

Applicationflled February 1, 1926. Serial No. 85,203.

My invention relates to improvements in carbide indicators for gas generators more especially those used in the production of acetylene gas, and the object of my improvement is to provide means to indicate-the presence of a quantity of carbide in the magazine by only removing the outer cover of the apparatus.

I attain this object with the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which an acetylene gas generator is shown in side elevation parts of'which are broken away to a medial vertical plane and the lower end of which is broken away for lack of space.

Tank 1 has removable cover a and an inner wall 2 spaced therefrom to define a sealing chamber for the gas bell 7. Carbide 2o hopper 3 is an inverted hollow cone hung within wall 2 on hooks a engageable in notches a in the upper end of said wall 2,

which provides for the easy removal of hopper 3 from the apparatus. An opening in the vertex of hopper 3 is closable with valve 4 fastened on the lower end of vertical valve rod 5 which is connected with the top of bell 7 above. A removable cover 6 easily fits within the cylindrical upper extension of conical hopper 3 and is ung therein on hooks a engaged in notches b in the. upper end of said cylindrical extension of the hopper. Gas bell 7 is set in the sealing chamber 7 between walls 1 and 2 and sealed againstvthe escape of gas therefrom by water in said chamber. It is caused to float in said chamher by the presence of gas generated in the apparatus a quantity of which it holds An eccentric hole in cover 6 is reinforced by guide 8. In said hole is mounted vertical indicator rod 10 which has disk 11 fastened on its lower end adapted to bear on the top of the carbide contained in hopper 3. A

' tapped hole in the top of bell7 vertically over said hole in cover 6 has conical guide 9 engaged therein and rod 10 is also mounted in guide 9 and protrudes above bell 7. A flanged cylinder 12 is fastened to the top of hell 7 concentric wit-h guide 9 therein andthe upper end of said cylinder. 12 is tapped for a stufling box and has stufiing box screw nut 13 engaged therein. In a central hole in screw 13 is mounted glass tube 14 and around its lower end is wound cotton wick 15 which is packed between said tube and the walls of stuifing box 12 to seal the outer wall of the, tube against the passage of gas thereby from within bell '7. The upper end of glass tube 14 is closed and the construction is such that no gas can leave bell 7 through the hole in which rod 10 is mounted in its cover. vIndicator rodlO stands within glasstube 14 and is observable therein. Rod 10 is loosely mounted in guides 8 and 9 and is free to move downward therein as carbide A lowers in hopper 3. The length of said rod is such that its upper end is yet observable in glass tube 14 when but a small quantity of the carbide remains in the hopper. As is well known, gas bell 7 alternately rises and falls automatically as carbide is allowed to pass valve 4'and then is prevented from passing by the seating of said valve due to the rising of said bell. Rod 10 is so mounted as not to interfere with this automatic control reciprocation of said gas bell. Arms a on gas bell 7 are mounted in guides a on the inner wall of vessel 1 and direct the said reciprocation of-the bell. Hooks a localize hopper 3 in wall 2 which is fastened to outer wall 1. Hooks a localize cover 6 in hopper 3 and thus guides 8 and 9 maintain the proper relation in the vertical to allow rod 10 freedom of movement therein. Because the central part of the hopper is usually occupied by the valve mechanism it is ordinarily desirable to place my indicator mechanism eccentric in the hopper and it is, therefore, im-

portant to provide for the vertical reciprocation of the bell and thereturn of thehopper to its proper place after its removal. This proper alignment is insured by arms a in guides (1 hooks a in notches a and hooks a in notches b There is no additional care required to remove the bell and carbide hopper from a generator equipped with my indicator.

When the refilled hopper is returned to its place cover 6 is placed over the carbide with disk 11 bearing on top thereof and rod 10 mounted in guide 8. The bell is aided in re placing by arms a and guides a and rod 10 is aided in entering guide 9 by its flaring lower end.- To one accustomed to the care of the generator the amount of carbide remaining in the. hopper is quite readily judged by the height of rod 10 in glass tube 14. This is of importance because it is undesirable to refill the magazine with carbide after dark and about the only usual way of learning of the exhaustion of the carbide supply is the failure of the generator to produce gas. With my indicator a glance beneath the partly raised cover 6 is sufficient to acquaint the operative of the amount of carbide then in the machine.

Having thusdisclosedmy invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

An acetylene gas generator consisting of a tank, an inner carbide magazine fixedly mounted in an elevated position withinsaid tankadapted to retain carbide for gradual discharge therefrom, a cover over said car bide magazlne having a hole therethrough, a

gas bell floatable in said outer vessel seal- 15 able therewith over said carbide magazine having a hole through its top wall aligned with said hole in said carbide magazine cover, a float in the form of a plate adapted to lie on top of carbide in said magazine, an

indicating rod fixed to said float extended through said hole in said magazine cover andv through said hole in said top wall of said bell protruding abovesaid bell top disposed v for free movement through said holes to maintainsaid float 1n contact with the top surface of 52nd carblde, and a glass vessel inverted oversaid protruding rod and sealed- 

